Performance of local breed hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) in two agro-ecological zones of Madagascar (High plateaus-south and south-east)

Abstract

Traditional poultry farming in Madagascar occupies an important place in the household economy despite the challenges it faces. To have a better understanding of the production performance of poultry in Madagascar, a follow-up of 503 adult hens was carried out over 6 months in the High Plateaus - South and South-East agroecological zones. Data relating to egg and chick production were collected. It emerges from a total of 4728 eggs counted that 77.2% were white, and 89.6% were oval for the two study areas. The average weight of an egg was 43.75±4.79 g for an average length of 4.92±0.25 cm and an average width of 3.64±0.19 cm. A significant difference was observed in the length and width between eggs from the two areas (p< 0.001). For a similar hatching rate (87%) for both zones, there appears a significant difference (p<0.001) between the weights of the chicks from hatching to 6 weeks of age except for the second week of age in favor of the South-East zone.